A new international school in Prague is on a mission to develop free thinkers

Věra Komárová, named “one of the most influential women in the Czech Republic” by Forbes, is branching out. Better known as the co-owner of cosmetics brand Dermacol, Komárová comes from a family of teachers and studied pedagogy herself, so when schools closed last year because of the pandemic and her three teen daughters complained about being isolated from classmates, she looked into potential solutions and eventually decided to open her own international private academy.

Located in the heart of Staré Město, the Leonardo da Vinci Academy will open its doors this September to take in students ages 10–15 but it will eventually expand to include a grammar school.

Under the motto “The Renaissance of Education,” the school will put an emphasis on traditional values such as wisdom through education, strength and bravery, making the best use of one's own resources, and social empathy.

The school’s “We face challenges, we believe, we learn” focus will also lead its teaching methods, which will include small classes of no more than 10 students and a high ratio of teachers to students.

Except for the Czech program section to complement studies, all subjects will be offered in English. Within the basic curriculum, lessons will focus, among other things, on ecology, sustainability, and philosophical, cultural and religious trends. The school plans to add language programs, IT courses, and a larger number of sports-oriented activities as it expands and grows.

The academy's ultimate goal is to provide a space where children come not only to study but can also enjoy afterschool activities on campus. Courses in cooking, sewing, workshops, agricultural activities, dance, music, singing, ecology, and more will follow the end of the compulsory program in the afternoon.  

Currently, more than sixty percent of teachers at the school are foreign nationals. Although Czech teachers will take over national language and literature lessons, international teachers will provide foreign language programs (French, Spanish, German, Italian, Russian) and cover much of the rest of the curriculum.

With school hours extending from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm and afterschool activities starting right after and ending at 6 pm, the school will also offer a solid support system for working parents. This goes hand-in-hand with the school’s goal of providing a supportive community, where children not only go to learn but also form meaningful relationships and social ties.  

Ultimately, the goal of the Leonardo da Vinci Academy is to prepare students to continue their studies at international schools or abroad by helping them develop as free thinkers who aren’t afraid of cooperation, open communication, and taking responsibility for their actions.